A Mission with Dragons
by saxonvulture
Summary: In which Deryn and Alek go on a mission from the zoological society to Italy, in the dead of winter. Lots of stuff happens. Just what the title says. Also written in a script-like format.
1. Chapter 1

_FADE IN. EXT. DUSK. PARK IN LONDON, OUTSIDE THE ZOO. It is winter. Three people stand in the snow. Dr. Barlow, a woman in her early thirties in a fancy Victorian dress, is bent over a small box in a fairly large pile of luggage. She has a Tasmanian thylicine (Tazza) on a leash. The other two people, Alek, a boy around the age of seventeen with reddish brown hair, an Austrian accent and an odd looking creature(Bovril) on his shoulder, and Deryn Sharp, a tall girl from Glasgow with her blonde hair cut short in the style of men in the early 1900s, are conversing quietly. They are waiting. _

ALEK

It's going to be nice to be back on the_ Leviathan_ again.

DERYN

Aye. I'm looking forward to the flying bit. I wonder if

they'll let me on the ratlines, seeing as I'm no longer

a middy.

ALEK

I think they will. Anyway, you'll be Dylan again.

DERYN

What are you talking about?I'm always Dylan.

ALEK

I meant the midshipman Dylan that everyone knew aboard the

_ Leviathan._ I've kind of missed him.

DERYN

So have I.

_A shadow passes overhead, cutting off their conversation. Dr. Barlow stands up and walks over to Alek and Deryn. Ropes drop down from the gondola of the airship _Leviathan _and the ground crew starts to winch the airship in. A person climbs down one of the cables and runs towards them. _

DERYN _(shouting and waving)_

Newkirk, you bum-rag! I see you've gotten yourself the

job of welcoming us!

NEWKIRK

It seem as though I have, Sharp!

DERYN

Unfortunately for you that also involves you carrying our

luggage for us!

BOVRIL

Bum-rag!

_NEWKIRK faces DERYN and they shake hands. He does the same to ALEK._

NEWKIRK

Good to see you again. Both of you.

_CUT TO INT. SHIP. NEWKIRK helps DERYN and ALEK aboard and then turns and drags a suitcase off of the ramp._

ALEK _(putting his hand on Deryn's shoulder)_

Welcome home, Mr. Sharp.

_FADE OUT._


	2. Chapter 2

_FADE IN. INT. 'S ROOM. CAPTAIN HOBBES is sitting behind his desk. The door opens and ALEK, DERYN, and enter. CAPTAIN HOBBES stands upon their entrance._

Good evening Captain Hobbes.

CAPTAIN HOBBES

Good evening Dr. Barlow. Good to see you again Sharp

You as well, Prince Aleksandar.

ALEK

Sir, I am no longer a prince, you might recall. Please call

me Mr. Hohenburg.

CAPTAIN HOBBES.

Ah, of course. (_Hobbes walks around his desk so he is standing_

_in front of the three people._) I have called you here to discuss

your mission aboard the Leviathan. I trust Dr. Barlow has given

you the minor details.(_Alek Deryn nod_) You will be going to

transport a fabricated weapon to our allies in Italy. We will be

dropping you and leaving you there, as it will take quite some

time for you to deliver the weapon.

DERYN

If I may ask, what is this beastie that we will be transporting?

Seeing as we will be carrying out this mission without the help

of Dr. Barlow, I think we have the right to know.

CAPTAIN HOBBES

Indeed you do Mr. Sharp. (_He looks at Dr. Barlow who is smiling devilishly_)

DR. BARLOW

A dragon, Mr. Sharp.

_FADE OUT. _


	3. Chapter 3

_FADE IN. INT. ROOM WITH LOTS OF BOXES. DR. BARLOW, DERYN, ALEK and BOVRIL on ALEK's shoulder, are standing around an open crate. Inside the crate are two large eggs._

DR. BARLOW

This creature isn't your traditional dragon, meaning it doesn't

breathe fire, but it still has wings. We had to have the life threads

of many lizards, most of them poisonous, like the komodo dragon.

It also has the life threads of some birds and bats to give it the power

Of flight.

_ALEK losses interest now and starts to look around the room. DERYN sees this and slowly makes her way over to him. _

DERYN

Alek, I think you should pay attention to Dr. Barlow's lecture.

We need to know as much as we can about these beasties.

BOVRIL

Shush.

_DR. BARLOW stops talking and looks up. DERYN immediately stops whispering to ALEK. DR. BARLOW coughs politely._

DR. BARLOW

You shall need to start egg duty. I would advise that it is

just the two of you. I don't want to repeat what happened

when Mr. Newkirk watched my last eggs.

_DR. BARLOW turns away from the other two and walks out the door._

DERYN (_sighing_)

She probably wants us to start tonight.

ALEK

Do you think she'll let do it together?

DERYN(_smiling wickedly_)

She doesn't have to know.

BOVRIL giggles.

_FADE OUT. _


	4. Chapter 4

_FADE IN. INT. EARLY MORNING. EGG ROOM. ALEK is sitting on one of the crates looking sleepily at the eggs. DERYN is sleeping with her head resting on ALEK's shoulder. BOVRIL is curled up on DERYN's lap There is a knock at the door, and it opens to reveal NEWKIRK. ALEK looks up in surprise and begins to try to shake DERYN awake._

DERYN (_mumbles, still half asleep_)

Five more minutes.

_NEWKIRK walks up to them carrying a breakfast tray and a newspaper under his arm. He takes the newspaper and swats DERYN over the head with it. She immediately wakes up_

DERYN (_shouting_)

Barking spiders! What was that for?

NEWKIRK

I brought you breakfast. (_He sets the tray and newspaper down_.)

ALEK

Thank you, Mr. Newkirk. (_he reaches over, grabs the paper, and begins to read it_.)

_DERYN grabs a plate of potatoes and begins to eat._

DERYN

So, Newkirk, what have you been up to?

NEWKIRK

We've visited a few ports in the Mediterranean, but I've had

twice the work and half the fun. You haven't missed much

excitement over the past year.

DERYN

Twice the work? Haven't they gotten any new middies yet?

NEWKIRK

We've been too busy with the war going on that I guess we

Haven't had the time to officially go back to England just yet.

Anyway, I kind of hoped you would pitch in and help, Dylan,

you know, It'd be just like old times, when you were still a middie.

DERYN

Only if it means that I can climb the ratlines. I don't want to

get too soft. What do you say Alek, feel like helping out on

this ship again?

ALEK

I would love to Mr. Newkirk, but it seems we have landed

ourselves with egg duty.

DERYN (_punches ALEK in the shoulder_)

Oh come on, you're princeliness. Where has your sense of

adventure gone?

ALEK

My 'sense of adventure' still right where it used to be, but

I would rather not taste the lady boffin's rage if one of the

eggs, um, dies.

DERYN (mumbles)

It's not like it's her mission.

_There is an awkward silence followed by NEWKIRK clearing his throat. _

NEWKIRK

I'm sure there will be other times that you can be free to

wander the ship. (Looking towards the door)I have to get

back to my duties. Mr. Rigby will have my head if I stay and

chat any longer.

_NEWKIRK stand and picks his way around the crates to the door. Once he is gone, ALEK turns to DERYN, who is staring longingly out the open door into the hall._

ALEK

I'll stay and watch the eggs. You can go with Newkirk.

DERYN

Are you sure?

ALEK

You've missed being on the Leviathan more than I have.

_DERYN smiles and plants a quick kiss on ALEK's cheek, before running out the door. ALEK watches her leave, then turns back to the eggs._

BOVRIL

Sense of adventure. Gone.

_FADE OUT._


	5. Chapter 5

_FADE IN. DAY. HALLS OF THE LEVIATHAN. DERYN is walking through the halls of the gondola. She is looking for NEWKIRK. DERYN heads down a hall and down a set of stairs. She walks into a large, cave-like room with stained walls and floor. There are bats hanging from the walls and ceiling. NEWKIRK stands off to the side of the room, near a large opening to the sky and landscape below. NEWKIRK looks up. _

NEWKIRK

Dylan!

DERYN

Aye. I decided to come. Alek is watching the eggs

NEWKIRK (_snorts_)

Did you abandon him?

DERYN

No! He told me to leave. Besides, we're not supposed to

watch the eggs together.

NEWKIRK

Then why were you both watching them in the first place?

You know how the lady boffin is very cautious on the

temperature of the room changing.

DERYN

That was only because she wanted the last eggs to hatch

when Alek was there. These beasties aren't going to come

out until we reach Italy. That's not for a while now.

NEWKIRK

Well, I'm going topside right now, if you want to join me

DERYN (_ecstatic_)

Barking spiders, I would!

_NEWKIRK tosses her a flight suit, and she quickly puts it on. DERYN runs up to_ _the opening of the room, turns, grabs onto the ratlines on the outside of the ship, and pulls herself up onto them. NEWKIRK, still tying himself a safety harness, looks at her in astonishment. _

DERYN (_shouting_)

What are you waiting for?

NEWKIRK (_muttering to himself_)

I see you haven't lost your air-sense.

_CUT TO TOP SIDE. DERYN is standing with is arms half spread and eyes closed. The wind is blowing her hair in all directions._

DERYN (_laughing_)

I'd forgotten what it was like!

NEWKIRK

You've been out of the service for a barking year, and still

you manage to beat me in climbing the ratlines! How did

you do that?

DERYN

Alek and I have had arm wrestling competitions a few times.

I win every time, but the daft boy still tries. (_Laughs_)

I think he wants to save his pride, but there is no way that he

can beat me. That and I'm just pure dead amazing.

NEWKIRK

And modest too.

DERYN

We can't forget the modesty, but I am barking brilliant.

NEWKIRK

I can see that your ego hasn't changed either, but I don't know

why I was expecting it to.

_DERYN walks farther ahead on the spine, then peers over the side of the ship. She turns back to NEWKIRK._

DERYN

Where do you suppose we are now?

_NEWKIRK joins DERYN where she is standing and looks over the side._

NEWKIRK

I'd say somewhere over the coast of France. I'm still not used

to how fast we can travel with the Clanker engines.

DERYN

Well if we've flown all the way to France in one night, we'll get

to Italy in no time.

NEWKIRK

What are you doing in Italy anyway?

DERYN

I'm afraid that is a military secret, Mr. Newkirk. I can't tell a

lowly middie like yourself. It might destroy the whole mission.

NEWKIRK

Oh come on, Sharp. I can keep a secret.

DERYN

I bet you can't.

NEWKIRK

Bet I can.

DERYN

I'm still not telling a bum-rag like you

NEWKIRK (_mumbling_)

Fine then. I won't tell you what I'll be doing in Italy.

DERYN (_whipping her head around suddenly_)

What was that?

_A message lizard scampers up to the two of them, distracting them from the conversation, and speaks in DR. BARLOW's voice_

MESSAGE

Mr. Sharp, I am in need of your assistance in the egg room.

Mr. Hohenburg seems to have misplaced himself.

DERYN (_very confused and to herself_)

Misplaced himself? (_Speaking to the message lizard_) Aye ma'am

I'll be down in half a squick. End message.

_DERYN turns and sprints to the ratlines and scrambles down. FADE OUT._


	6. Chapter 6

_FADE IN. INT. AFTERNOON. EGG ROOM. The door is wide open and DR. BARLOW stands facing the crate that holds the two large eggs. Her thylacine is lounging on the floor .DERYN runs into view and skids to a halt in front of the door. She straitens herself and walks into the room._

DERYN

So, how has Alek … misplaced himself?

(_turns_)

Just as you see it, Mr. Sharp. He is not here. And seeing as you do not

have the loris, it would appear to also be with Alek. I need to know

where he is.

DERYN

I wouldn't know, ma'am. He was in this room when I left him.

DR. BARLOW

And how long ago was that, Mr. Sharp?

DERYN

An hour or so, I think.

DR. BARLOW

These eggs can't be left unsupervised, so I will stay here while you

search the ship. And if you could, take Tazza with you.

_DR. BARLOW hands DERYN the leash to her thylacine, and sits down on the boxes next to the crate. DERYN rolls her eyes, and turns and walks out the door. She rounds a corner and runs her fingers through her hair._

DERYN (_speaking to Tazza_)

I should've known that she would have me walking you again. She's

too barking lazy to do it herself. (_Straitening_) Now, where could that

daft prince have run off to…

ALEK (_Walking up from behind DERYN, clearing his throat, and making her jump and shout "Barking Spiders!" very loudly_)

I'm not a prince anymore, Mr. Sharp. You of all people should

remember that.

DERYN

You bum-rag! You scared me! Where have you been?

ALEK (_holding up Bovril_)

Bovril decided that it would be funny to suddenly run out of the

egg room. I had to catch him before he caused any trouble.

DERYN

But how long does it take for you to trap a loris? The lady boffin

gave off the impression that you were missing for quite some

time.

ALEK (_sheepishly_)

Yes, well, I might've gotten a little lost when I was chasing him.

BOVRIL

Gets lost in a bag!

DERYN (_snorts_)

Aye, beastie. (_She reaches out and scratches the top of BOVRIL's head_)

You should go back to Dr. Barlow. I left her watching the eggs …

Oh and you might want to come up with a better story than getting lost.

ALEK

What am I supposed to say?

DERYN (_turning to leave, shouts back_)

Use your imagination!

FADE OUT.


	7. Chapter 7

_FADE IN. INT. NIGHT. EGG ROOM. DERYN sits in the green glow of the worm lamp with her sketchbook. She is drawing the eggs. BOVRIL is curled up next to her. Occasionally making happy, sleeping, cooing loris noises. DERYN finishes the egg sketch, and flips to an empty page. She begins to draw from memory, a portrait of ALEK. In the drawing, he is smiling, and has his jacket slung over one shoulder. The drawing in the center of the page expands out, DERYN adds BOVRIL into the picture. They are both sitting in the shade of a tree in summer. The night sky outside slowly turns pink as the sun rises. Light creeps its way across the small room, and onto her sketchbook page. She looks up at the small porthole and squints her eyes against the sun. A sleepy BOVRIL lifts his head and opens his mouth in a yawn accompanied with a mewling noise that sounds like it should come from a cat. DERYN looks down at the loris and smiles._

DERYN

Good morning , Beastie.

BOVRIL

Guten morgen.

DERYN (rolls her eyes)

And of course you have to speak Clanker with me. But what

Did I expect? Alek taught you everything.

BOVRIL

Yes, _Mr_. Sharp.

DERYN

You can stop calling me that. Almost everyone knows. You did

your daft job of being perspicacious.

_Footsteps are heard from outside the door._

BOVRIL

Friend. Knock -knock (_someone knock on the door.)_

DERYN

Come in …friend.

_The door opens to reveal ALEK. He walks in looking sleepy._

ALEK

Friend?

DERYN

Aye. Bovril didn't give me much of a clue as to who you were.

_ALEK looks confused but doesn't say anything. He sits down next to DERYN and looks over her shoulder at the drawing._

ALEK

That's very nice.

DERYN

It's of that day we had off, in the summer, and we spent it in the park.

ALEK

I remember. Bovril ate our lunch for us.

DERYN (_laughing)_

That little bum-rag.

_BOVRIL giggles. ALEK looks at the drawing again, then at DERYN._

ALEK

Can you teach me? How to draw, I mean.

_DERYN hands ALEK the pencil and flips to a new page in her sketchbook _

DERYN

Well, it's all in knowing where to put the lines. Now, I first started by just

looking at something, and not looking away. It's called a blind contour.

Pretend that your pencil is a wee ant, following every line you see. Keep

drawing, and when you pick up your pencil, put it down anywhere, it

doesn't matter. Just don't look at the page until you're done.

_ALEK begins staring intently at the eggs. He starts to draw. When he is done, he looks down._

ALEK

God's wounds! That's awful! Are you sure this is how you learned?

DERYN

Fairly sure. It makes you look at the small details, or something. But

you didn't expect to be an expert at drawing after just one lesson, did you?

ALEK

Are you teasing me, _Mr._ Sharp?

DERYN (_leaning closer_)

Am I?

_ALEK tilts his head to the side a bit and DERYN closes her eyes. He kisses her, but they are interrupted when BOVRIL makes the noise of footsteps coming towards the room. ALEK and DERYN pull apart quickly and ALEK whips his head around to look at the open door._

ALEK

Scheiße. I forgot to close the door.

DERYN

The crew will be waking up soon. I have to leave. I promised that

I'd help Newkirk with midshipman duties.

_ DERYN gets up and makes her way to the door, almost running into DR. BARLOW._

I say Mr. Sharp! Watch where you are going.

DERYN

Sorry ma'am!

DR. BARLOW

The captain would like to tell you that the ship is arriving at our

destination very soon.

ALEK

Already?

DR. BARLOW

Yes, Aleksandar, we have been on this air ship for quite some time,

If you haven't noticed.

ALEK

I have been preoccupied as of late.

DR. BARLOW (_a little uninterested_)

Of course you have. (_looking at DERYN_) the captain wants you at the

cargo bay in one hour, with the eggs safely packaged ,he also wants

you to wear these,(_she hands them two Italian uniforms_)so you blend in.

Don't be late.

_DR. BARLOW turns and briskly walks from the room._

DERYN

She seems in a foul mood.

_ALEK pantomimes confusion and turns to egg crate. He starts to stuff more straw into the crates and DERYN walks over to help._

_CUT TO CARGO BAY. DERYN and ALEK stand in front of an opening in the floor. They are both holding onto ropes and carabineers. BOVRIL peeks his head out of ALEK's pack, but quickly ducks back inside when ALEK peers over the edge and steps back, looking pale._

ALEK

Are you sure this is safe?

DERYN

Of course, you dummkopf, when I performed a keelhaul-drop, the

ship was going much faster. This will be a barking walk in the park

compared to that.

_DERYN flashes a smile to ALEK, which he tries to return, but is too nervous to do so, and settles for a curt nod._

DERYN

Clip yourself. (_Snapping the carabineers to the ropes._) On three: one,

two, three! (_she jumps, followed by ALEK._)

_CUT TO ALEK and DERYN on the ground DERYN is leaning over her pack checking the eggs._

ALEK

Did we make it down in one piece?

DERYN

Aye. (_standing up and looking about_) I guess we should make our way

north, that is if we were dropped off in the right place, and not in

Austria.

ALEK (_sounding worried_)

They did tell you we were over Italy, didn't they?

DERYN(_punching ALEK in the shoulder_)

Course they did you ninny. (_Hoisting her pack onto her shoulders_)

Well, let's be off then!

_She pulls out a compass and trudged through the snow off to the north, ALEK follows. FADE OUT._


	8. Chapter 8

_FADE IN. . SNOW COVERED FOREST BUT A DIFFERENT LOCATION THAN THE LAST crawls out of what looks like to be a hastily made tent, rubs the sleep out of her eyes, turns her head towards a still smoldering, blackened pile of sticks that had served as a fire, walks over to it, and kicked snow onto it until it the smoke stops rising. She sighs, runs her hands through her hair, but recoils with a disgusted expression, paired with and equally disgusted noise. ALEK then crawls out of the tent. _

DERYN (_turning to ALEK_)

My hair is revolting.

ALEK

I didn't notice.

DERYN

I haven't washed it a week! And you didn't notice, because

yours is just the same.

ALEK (_touching his hair_)

Nothing near what it was like traveling for weeks on end in a

Stormwalker.

DERYN(_walking back to the tent_)

Well I'm going to wash mine.

ALEK (_shocked_)

In this cold? You've gone mad!

DERYN (_bluntly_)

I went mad ages ago, and besides, it's not as cold in the day time.

I'll do it when the sun's gotten higher. Do we have any towels?

_ALEK swallows and slowly reaches for one of the packs. He pulls out a blanket and hands it to her_

DERYN

This is a blanket

ALEK

I know. But towels are one of the supplies that we didn't think

to bring.

DERYN (_taking the blanket_)

Fine. I'll be down at the river, washing my hair.

_She turns and walks away with the blanket swung over her shoulder. CUT TO by the river, DERYN is kneeling with her hair dripping wet and her head bowed over the water. She reaches for the blanket and begins to towel off her recently washed hair. She hears the sound of a stick breaking, and looks across the river. Two men in Austrian uniforms are standing there watching her. DERYN looks down at her own clothes: an Italian uniform, and springs to her feet in realization. One of the men reaches for a pistol and aims for her. DERYN turns and runs. DERYN runs into the camp out of breath. She stops, and leans over, her hands on her knees._

ALEK

What's gotten you so shaken up?

DERYN (_now hurriedly stuffing supplies into the packs_)

Two men, (pant) Austrian, by the (pant),by the river.

We've (pant)got to go.

_Realization dawns on ALEK's face, and he grabs a pack as DERYN does the same. They run out of the clearing and into the pine trees that surround them, kicking up snow behind them as they hurriedly trudge through the snow._

ALEK

Do you know where we're going now?

DERYN

To the north, I think. We have to get away fast, then hide.

AELK

It's probably not helping that we're leaving a clear path for the

soldiers to follow.

DERYN

I don't think they'll follow us too diligently, they just thought that

I was a common soldier, near a camp full of other men. Just keep

running.

ALEK

Then what?

DERYN

Climb a tree or something? Use a tree branch to cover our tracks?

ALEK

I guess this means no fire tonight though.

_DERYN gives a small nod and they both fall into silence and continue running. The going is slow, and they are getting snow down their boots. They eventually come across another clearing. It has a small pile of blackened twigs in a patch of melted snow._

ALEK (_looking around_)

We didn't circle back to our own camp, did we, Deryn?

DERYN (confused)

Not that I know of… (_looks around some more_) No. we didn't stay

here. Whoever did seem to be gone.

_She is interrupted when a person, with a scarf wrapped around their face for warmth, hurtles out of the trees and tackles her. They wrestle on the ground for a few seconds until ALEK tries to step in and help. His feet are kicked out from underneath him in the struggle , and DERYN manages to put her attacker into a head-lock_.

BOVRIL(_peeking out of ALEK's pack_)

Monkey-luddite friend

_The attacker struggles around a bit more and his scarf comes undone. DERYN and ALEK recognize him._

DERYN (_releasing him_)

Barking spiders! Newkirk?

NEWKIRK (_scrambling away, in disbelief_)

Dylan? (_Looking at ALEK_) Alek? Oh blisters. Sorry I attacked you.

I thought you were those Austrian soldiers.

DERYN

So you thought that attacking two armed men was a good idea.

ALEK(_getting to his feet and brushing the snow off of him_)

And besides, we are wearing Italian uniforms. Not Austrian.

_NEWKIRK takes a closer look at DERYN's uniform_.

NEWKIRK(_rather sheepishly_)

Oops.

DERYN

What are you doing here anyway?

NEWKIRK

I was sent on a mission near the border, all by myself. Giving supplies

to a stranded group of soldiers in Tarvisio. Just enough until a real rescue

team arrived. The Leviathan would be too big of a ship to try to get in

there and help, you know, easily shot down. So I was dropped down

and sent on my merry way. So I delivered the supplies, and I was told to

be at Bolzano on December twenty-fifth. That's when I'm being picked up.

DERYN

We're supposed to be in that city on that date also! You can come with us!

ALEK (_muttering_)

Because we're hopelessly lost on our own.

DERYN(_rounding on him_)

What was that, your princeliness?

ALEK

Nothing. Dylan…

_He is interrupted by the sound of rustling in the surrounding forest. There are distant voices talking in German._

SOLDEIR # 1

Die Spuren führen auf diese Weise, aber warum werden

wir durch solche Schmerzen für zwei Jungen Soldaten?

_The tracks lead this way, but why are we going through such_

_pains for two boy soldiers? _

SOLDEIR #2 (_with menace_)

Der Junge war mit dem Prinzen, der unser Volk aufgegeben.

_That boy was with the prince who abandoned our people_.

_ALEK looks over at DERYN. She looks back in understanding, fear showing in her eyes_.

DERYN(_frantic_ )

I didn't know they saw you.

ALEK

We should run.

DERYN

Aye.

NEWKIRK

Wait, what's going on?

DERYN

We'll explain on the way, but right now, we have to get out of

here if we want to live

They start to run in the opposite direction of the soldiers.

NEWKIRK

Now can I know what's happening?

DERYN

The Austrian soldiers that we're running from evidentially saw Alek,

and know who he is.

ALEK

And they are upset that I gave up the throne.

NEWKIRK

Upset enough to hunt you down and kill you?

_They reach a downward slope, and begin to descend in an almost falling forward fashion. _

ALEK

It seems like it.

BOVRIL

Faster. Run faster.

DERYN (_looking over her shoulder_)

Blisters! They've seen us!

_One of the men at the top of the hill pulls out a pistol and aims it for ALEK. Seeing this, DERYN hurtles herself at ALEK. The force of the collision pushes them both downhill. There is the sound of a gunshot, and DERYN gasps in pain. NEWKIRK pulls out a pistol from his jacket and fires it at the soldiers. He hits one, and they both doge out of sight. DERYN and ALEK are now skidding down the hillside, ALEK scrambling to grab onto tree roots or rocks. NEWKIRK quickly runs to catch up. They skid to a halt near the bottom of the hill. ALEK begins to untangle himself from DERYN. She tries to hoist herself up, but falls back down with a gasp._

ALEK (_concerned whisper_)

Are you hurt, Deryn?

DERYN (_casting a glance to her shoulder_)

Aye. They shot me.

ALEK (_scrambling over to her_)

Let me looks at it. Take off you jacket.

DERYN (_shocked_)

What?! No!

_NEWKIRK jogs up to them_.

NEWKIRK

What's happened? (_Noticing blood on DERYN's shoulder_)

Blisters, Dylan! Are you hurt?

ALEK (_forcefully_)

Let me look at it, Dylan.

DERYN (_stubbornly_)

No.

_DERYN pulls herself up with her uninjured arm and begins to walk away from the two boys to show that she isn't hurt that bad, but stumbles a bit. ALEK reaches out to steady her._

ALEK

We should set up camp somewhere.

NEWKIRK

Agreed.

_ALEK places a hand on DERYN's shoulder in case she lost her balance again. NEWKIRK treks on ahead, and they walk until they reach level ground. FADE OUT._


	9. Chapter 9

_FADE IN. EXT. DUSK. DERYN is sitting with her back propped up against a tree. ALEK is rummaging through the packs and pulls out a small first aid kit. NEWKIRK stands awkwardly watching._

DERYN

Ich glaube nicht, das ist eine gute Idee, Alek

_ I don't think this is a good idea, Alek._

ALEK

Warum? Du verletzt bist, ich brauche um es zu betrachten.

Und warum hast du auf Deutsch umstellen?

_Why? You're hurt I need to looks at it. And why did you_

_ switch to German?_

DERYN

Weil er (_glancing at NEWKIRK_)vielleicht fragen, warum.

Because he... might wonder why.

_ALEK, in understanding, looks at NEWKIRK._

NEWKIRK

What are you two blethering about ?

ALEK

Mr. Newkirk, could you go fetch us some water, please?

_NEWKIRK, with one suspicious glance at DERYN and ALEK, heads off towards the faint sound of running water._

ALEK

Now will you let me look at your shoulder?

_DERYN reluctantly unzips her jacket, and struggles with taking it off until ALEK comes over and helps. The shoulder of her shirt is soaked with blood._

ALEK (_whispers_)

Gottes Wunden...

_He touched her shoulder and she winces. ALEK looks unsure of what to do._

ALEK

... Um, maybe you should take off your shirt...

DERYN (_interrupting_)

Excuse me?

ALEK (_turning red and sputtering_)

So I can take a closer look at your –your shoulder!

DERYN (_blushing_)

Oh- right. Still a Clanker at heart.

_She fumbles one-handed with the buttons of her shirt, when that fails; she looks to ALEK for help. ALEK swallows nervously, and unbuttons her shirt._

DERYN (_nervous laugh_)

I hope Newkirk takes his time.

_ALEK nods, his face still red, and helps DERYN out of her shirt. DERYN shivers, and wraps her uninjured arm across her chest._

DERYN

It's barking cold.

_ALEK takes that opportunity to turn away and pull out a blanket from one of the packs and drapes it awkwardly around DERYN. She shifts it to expose her shoulder._

ALEK

Oh good, the bullet just grazed you.

_ALEK begins to mop up the blood on her shoulder with a rag soaked in rubbing alcohol._

DERYN (_wincing_)

Blisters! That stuff's like ice!

ALEK (_softly_)

Why did you do it?

DERYN

Do what?

ALEK (_begins to wrap a bandage around her upper arm, working his way up to her injury_)

Push me out of the way and get shot?

DERYN

If I didn't, you could've been killed. If I had to choose between

loosing you, or taking a bullet in the shoulder, I'd gladly pick the

latter every time.

ALEK

I still feel guilty.

DERYN

Hey, dafty, (_she reaches out and touches his face_) I made the choice.

(_she gently places a kiss on his lips_) It's not your fault.

_ALEK starts to respond, but he immediately falls silent when NEWKIRK walks back through the trees holding a canteen of water. He sits down on a rock. DERYN brings the blanket closer around her._

NEWKIRK

I think it's safe to start a fire. I shot one of the blighters, so I don't

think they'll be in any hurry to find us tonight.

ALEK

Could you do that for us, Mr. Newkirk?

NEWKIRK (_with a sideways glance at DERYN_)

With pleasure, you highness.

_ ALEK rolls his eyes, then turns his attention back to bandaging DERYN's shoulder._

ALEK (_whispering so only DERYN can hear_)

I may have run into a problem, Dylan.

DERYN (_whispering back_)

What is it?

ALEK (_still in a whisper_)

I'm not sure how to bandage your shoulder without moving the

blanket.

DERYN (_whispering again_)

Move in front of me and block his view.

ALEK (_doing as she told, and still in a whisper_)

You seem oddly calm.

DERYN

Would you prefer me to be hyperventilating?

ALEK

No thank you, Mr. Sharp… it's just, you're taking this whole thing…

rather well…

DERYN

What, you mean being shirtless in front of you?

ALEK

Um… yes.

DERYN

I'm just good at hiding it I guess.

_ALEK finished bandaging DERYN, and hands her a different shirt, then gives her jacket back. DERYN stands up, and walks towards the fire that NEWKIRK had made while they were talking, and crouches near it, reaching out her hands._

NEWKIRK (_shivering_)

It really does get cold when the sun goes down, doesn't it?

DERYN

Aye.

ALEK

Do you have any idea as to where we are?

_ DERYN looks at NEWKIRK and does a one arm shrug._

NEWKIRK (_matter-a-factly_)

Italy.

_DERYN snorts, which quickly turns into hysterical laughter. NEWKRIK and ALEK eventually join in and they end up laughing until they cry. FADE OUT._


	10. Chapter 10

_FADE IN. EXT. SAME CLEARING AS THE END OF LAST SCENE, MORNING. DERYN, ALEK and NEWKIRK are sleeping around a smoldering pile of blackened wood. DERYN rolls over, and onto her shoulder that was_ _shot the previous day. She jolts awake, sits up and gently starts rubbing her shoulder. DERYN stands up, walks over to ALEK and crouches next to him._

DERYN (_shaking him with one hand_)

Alek, wake up.

ALEK (_half asleep and a bit concerned_)

Wha- what is it? You okay?

DERYN (_rolling her eyes_)

I'm fine dummkopf. We're going north.

ALEK (_rubbing sleep out of his eyes_.)

Right. North. (_yawns_)

_BOVRIL, who was sleeping on ALEK's chest, rolls off of him when ALEK sits up. He lands in the snow with a rather startled _"Barking Spiders!"_ earning him a laugh from DERYN._

ALEK

Do we get breakfast before we leave?

DERYN (_walking over to NEWKIRK, gestures to their packs_)

If you insist, your princeliness.

_DERYN walks up to NEWKIRK and nudges him with her foot until he wakes up, then a few more times just for good measure._

NEWKIRK

Okay! Okay! I'm awake! You can stop kicking me!

_NEWKIRK shuffles around a bit before standing up and stretching. ALEK pulls out a small baguette, and gives a chunk of it to BROVRIL, who is sitting on his shoulder. NEWKIRK clumsily walks over to him. He puts his hand in the pack and begins to search for anything eatable. ALEK slaps his hand away._

ALEK

Eat your own food.

NEWKIRK

Why are you getting overprotective? You have food out now,

and I'm hungry.

ALEK (_closing the flap to his pack_)

When you live with an endless stomach like Dylan, you learn

to keep an eye on food.

DERYN (_defensively_)

I am not an endless stomach!

NEWKIRK (_snorting_)

Quoth the boy who stole everyone's potatoes.

BOVRIL

Potatoes! Mr. Sharp.

_DERYN huffs, and attempts to cross her arms, but gives up when her shoulder causes her pain. ALEK looks at her with concern, but DERYN shrugs it off and continues to pack up their hastily put together camp. The fire is still smoking from last night, DERYN kicks snow into it and it hisses. She reaches down to hoist her pack onto her shoulder, and grunts in doing so. ALEK, who has finished his bread, comes over to DERYN, takes it from her, reaches in it and places some of the contents, including the safely packaged dragon's egg, into his own._

ALEK (_handing it back to her_)

So it's not as heavy.

DERYN (_hiding a half smile with a disapproving look_)

Thanks. But I can take care of myself.

ALEK (_laughs_.)

If you insist, you could carry the eggs. But as your doctor, I

wouldn't suggest it.

DERYN

You could make Newkirk carry it.

ALEK (_mock surprise_)

What, and risk him dropping it off the side of a cliff for fear of

it hatching? I think not.

_DERYN giggles, and ALEK hands her a piece of bread._

ALEK

Feed that bottomless pit of yours.

_DERYN shoves the bread into her mouth, and hoists her pack onto her uninjured shoulder._

ALEK (_taking out a compass_)

I think it's time we head off

_BOVRIL winds himself around ALEK's neck_

DERYN (_muffled through her bread_)

Mmm hmmf

_She trudges over to NEWKIRK, who is still eating, and hauls him to his feet. NEWKIRK brushes off his coat and picks up his own pack. They all walk into the woods. NEWKIRK looks back at the path they came from with a worried expression, and then shakes his head, warding off that thought. FADE OUT._


	11. Chapter 11

_FADE IN EXT. NOON. ALEK, DERYN, and NEWKIRK are slowly trudging across a steep mountain. They are at the edge of the tree line, and right atop a cliff face. NEWKIRK is falling behind, and cautiously watching ALEK and DERYN converse quietly. DERYN notices this and slows her pace until he has caught up with her. _

DERYN

You're falling behind.

NEWKIRK

Aye. That much the obvious.

DERYN

Why is that?

_NEWKIRK glances over at DERYN, the quickly looks away and stares at ALEK's back. He clears his throat, opens his mouth to say something, then he notices some movement along the out cropping rocks above them. _

NEWKIRK(_squinting_)

There's someone up there.

_DERYN follows his gaze, and sees a small figure making their way down the slope of the mountain. She pulls out a pair of binoculars and looks through them. The man is one of the soldiers that attacked the yesterday. DERYN lowers her binoculars and realizes the man is pulling a shot-gun and aims it at ALEK, who is blissfully unaware of the danger he is in. _

DERYN (_sprinting forward_)

ALEK!

_ALEK turns suddenly at the sound of DERYN's shout just as the gun is fired. The snow under ALEK and DERYN's feet shifts and a great wall of snow crashes down the mountain. FADE OUT. _


	12. Chapter 12

_FADE . DUSK. Mountain top. NEWKIRK hurriedly wades through the snow, hugging the tree line. He scans the surface of the snow, trying to force down panic. He spots movement under the surface. NEWKIRK runs, tripping over himself to get to DERYN's partially exposed form. He begins to dig her out. She groans. _

NEWKIRK (_almost crying with relief_)

Dylan! You're alive!

DERYN(_groggily sitting up_)

Wha- what happened?

NEWKIRK(_pulling her all the way out_)

Blisters, Sharp, there was an avalanche! You and Alek got caught

in it!

DERYN (_looking around at her surrounding_s)

Oh… an avalanche… Alek! (s_napping her gaze back to NEWKIRK _

_and grabbing his coat_) Where is he?! Is he alright!?

_NEWKIRK drops his gaze and looks across the desolated landscape. _

NEWKIRK

I didn't find him yet… and I was looking for you for hours, with

no trace. I'm sorry Dylan, but I don't think he…

DERYN (_the shock in her eyes giving away to pure panic_)

No, no, no, don't- he's not, not…

_DERYN scrambles to her feet and stumbles out into the snow, pushing the snow apart in front of her, in a half attempt to get below the surface, and find ALEK. NEWKIRK stand off to the side watching her sadly. Dusk slowly turns into night, and DERYN finally collapses out of exhaustion. NEWKIRK approaches her, and hears muffled sobs._

NEWKIRK (_clears his throat awkwardly_)

Dylan, we should get away from here. The Austrians could still

be here.

DERYN

Leave me alone.

NEWKIRK

Sharp, what are you blethering about? I'm not leaving you here.

DERYN (looks up)

It was my fault. I –I … (_her voice breaks and she stops talking_)

NEWKIRK

That's a load of yackum! This was not your doing.

DERYN

I shouted. It was me who caused the avalanche. I wasn't there

to protect him.

NEWKIRK

The gun fired at the same time, if you were with him, you would've

died too! Dylan, why can't you see that there was nothing you could

have done to save Alek?!

_DERYN's face crumples and she buries it back in her arms with a whimper. _

NEWKIRK

Common, we still have a mission to accomplish.

DERYN

It's been compromised. Alek had both eggs with him.

_A soft animal sound came from five feet from where DERYN was sitting. NEWKIRK walks over to investigate. He finds BOVRIL huddled in the snow. DERYN joins him and gasps when she sees the creature. BOVRIL looks up at DERYN and weakly reaches out its paws towards her. She cautiously takes BOVRIL and notices that he's bleeding. _

DERYN

The bullet must have hit Bovril.

_She looks at NEWKIRK, a little bit of hope leaking into her expression._

NEWKIRK

It's too much to hope for, Sharp. He's probably gone by now.

_DERYN looks away and carries BOVRIL back up the mountain. NEWKIRK runs after her._

NEWKIRK

Wait! Where are you going?

DERYN

Following that soldier.

NEWKIRK (_nervous laugh_)

That's suicide.

_DERYN ignores him and continues to hike up the mountain. NEWKIRK hesitates, takes one last glance at the surrounding damage, and reluctantly follows DERYN up the mountain. FADE OUT . _


	13. Chapter 13

_FADE IN. EXT. NIGHT. There is a stillness that is only interrupted by gusts of wind. ALEK lies partly exposed and pressed, face forward, up against a large tree, near the edge of the cliff drop-off. His backpack was torn off in the event of the avalanche and lies roughly ten feet away from him. He slowly gains consciousness, realizes that he is lying, buried in a mass of snow, and jerks his way out of the pile. Shivering, he looks around, spots his pack, and clumsily shuffles over to it. Something is leaking out of the bottom. With further examination, he finds that one of the eggs has broken. He pulls the surviving one out and begins to fortify its packaging. A small sound comes from the egg. ALEK, pauses, listens, and continues to further wrap the egg. The noise happens again, and this time ALEK pauses, and un-wraps it. The scratching noise grows louder, and the shell starts to crack. A small claw pokes its way through the hard surface, and pieces of shell fall away. ALEK, still holding the egg, sits in shock, unsure of what to do. A small lizard-like head breaks free of the egg's inner membrane. _

ALEK (mummers)

God's wounds

_The dragon opens its mouth and emits a small croaking sound. ALEK hesitantly reaches out for it and gently touches its nose. The dragon snaps at his fingers with surprising speed for a creature that young. ALEK flinches back. Sucking at his bleeding fingers, ALEK carefully scopes that tiny creature up with one hand and tries to arrange it in his pack. The dragon squeaks in protest, but eventually settles at the bottom, but only after ALEK removed all the contents from the bag. Shouldering the bag, ALEK get to his feet. Only then did the enormity of his surroundings hit him. With DERYN and NEWKIRK nowhere in sight, he starts to panic. _

ALEK (softly, then beginning to shout)

Deryn! Deryn, answer me!

_ALEK runs out into the open snow. He comes across speckles of blood. Looking around, he sees the footprints that DERYN and NEWKIRK made, just hours before. He follows the path they took over the mountain. The wind picks up FADE OUT. _


	14. Chapter 14

**hello again. first off i would like to apologize in advance for the butchering of the German language in this chapter. I do not speak German, and it seems as though neither does Google translate, which is what i used. i hope you enjoy reading this chapter/scene as much as i did writing it. **

* * *

_FADE IN. INT. Dawn. DERYN is sitting with her back to a wall, in a abandoned, drafty shack. NEWKIRK is nowhere in sight. DERYN pulls her legs up to her chest and in doing so, knocks her pack over. Her sketchbook falls out, and a piece of paper slides out from inside. DERYN reaches out and picks it up. She stifles a sob at the sight of the blind contour ALEK had made. DERYN crumples to drawing and throes it across the shack with a vengeance. NEWKIRK walks in at this point and sees DERYN curled up in a ball crying. DERYN immediately sits up and turns away hastily trying to wipe away the tears._

NEWKIRK(_awkwardly_)

Well, um, no one is following us.

_DERYN nods. _

NEWKIRK

I'll, make us a fire then.

_He kneels and pulls out some small twigs and sets about arranging them into a tent shape. NEWKIRK stands and his foot brushes that crumpled up drawing. He picks it up and unfolds it. _

NEWKIRK

Did Alek draw this?

_DERYN doesn't respond. NEWKIRK drops the page. _

NEWKIRK

Did you hear that?

_A noise, like muffled voices, sounds from outside the shack. _

DERYN

I thought you said we weren't being followed!

NEWKIRK

We weren't! I swear.

_DERYN goes to the dirty window and looks out, then quickly ducks back in._

DERYN(_her voice tight with rage_)

It's the soldiers. Give me you gun.

NEWKIRK

I lost it in the avalanche! (_frantic_)We have to leave.

DERYN

Newkirk, these are the men who killed Alek. We've found

them finally, and you want to run?!

NEWKIRK

I don't have a gun, and they do, two in fact. Yes I do want to

run. Sharp, I know that Alek is dead, but you dying isn't

going to help anyone.

_The voices are right outside the shack. DERYN and NEWKIRK stop talking immediately, but so do the men outside. NEWKIRK grabs DERYN's arm and tries to pull her towards the back door. He trips over one of the packs lying on the floor, creating a very loud clatter noise. Both DERYN and NEWKIRK freeze. Outside the soldiers start talking in low, hurried voices. The door bursts open with such force that is falls off its rusty hinges. NEWKIRK jumps back, pulling DERYN with, and they both fall into the back wall. _

SOLDIER #1 (_clearly shocked, and a little bit scared_)

Das sind die Männer, die mitdem Prinzenwaren!

_These are the men that were with the prince!_

SOLDIER #2

Bedeutet dies das er überlebte die Lawine?

_Does this mean he survived the avalanche? _

DERYN

Er tot ist.

_He's dead_

_The soldiers both look at her in surprise. _

DERYN

Ja, ich spreche Deutsch. Ich kann jedes Wort verstehen Sie sagen.

_Yes I speak German. I can understand every word you say. _

SOLDIER #2

so, du sagst der Prinz ist tot, und doch überlebt.

_So you say the prince is dead, and yet you survived._

DERYN

Ja.

SOLDIER #1

Ich denke, du lügst.

_I think you're lying. _

_DERYN screams and hurls herself at the soldier, trying to punch the man, while the other soldier struggles to get her off of his comrade. _

DERYN (_after finally being pulled off of him_)

Denken Sie mich würden liegen über etwas Ähnliches?!

_Do you think I would lie about something like that?!_

_The soldier laughs and wipes the blood tricked out of his noes off. _

SOLDIER #2 (_his eyes wander down to DERYN's chest_)

Ich glaube, Sie lügen über viele Dinge.

_I believe you are lying about many things. _

_DERYN backs away in surprise. She looks at him in shock and swallows. He just smiles wickedly back at her. _

NEWKIRK(_quietly to DERYN_)

What did they say?

DERYN(_shaken_)

It's not important.

SOLDIER #2 (_speaking to the other soldier._)

Wir sollten sie mit uns zurücknehmen

_We should take them with us. _

_The two men harshly drag DERYN and NEWKIRK to their feet. FADE OUT. _


	15. Chapter 15

_FADE IN. MORNING IN A VALLEY. ALEK wanders down the slope of the mountain, the wind whipping snow in his eyes. The dragon in his pack shrieking at every misstep or almost fall ALEK had. He stumbles into the old shack that NEWKIRK and DERYN stayed in just hours before. He falls through the door hanging on its hinges, visible exhausted. He sits down and rests his head on the back wall. Out of the corner of his eye, ALEK notices the cast aside crumpled piece of paper with his drawing on it. The dragon crawled out of ALEK's pack and stretched its neck out towards the paper, thinking it was food. ALEK pulled it away from its mouth. It squawked in protest. _

ALEK(_muttering_)

What do dragons eat anyway?

_ALEK looked around some more and spotted the supplies that were left behind when DERYN and NEWKIRK had been captured. The dragon nipped at his fingers. He pulled them back and inhaled sharply. The dragon loped across the floor and began investigating the food that had spilled out of the mouth of one of the abandoned backpacks. ALEK scrambled after it. By now, he was getting the idea that something had gone terribly wrong. ALEK notices that there are two too many footprints on the dirt and snow covered floor. He ran to the back window and looked outside, then quickly ran back, grabbed his pack and the dragon, which squealed in surprise, and charged out into the snow._

* * *

_CUT TO SNOW COVERED ROAD. DERYN and NEWKIRK are tied together with a short piece of rope. One of the soldiers is walking ahead; the other is behind, keeping an eye on their prisoners._

NEWKIRK(_leaning over to DERYN and whispering_)

Do you know where they're taking us?

DERYN (_risking a glance over her shoulder_)

Austria, I think.

NEWKIRK (_letting his voice rise above a whisper accidentally_)

They're going to walk us to bloody Austria?!

_The soldier walking behind them hits NEWKIRK on the back of his head, hard, making NEWKIRK shout out in surprise. The soldier in front turns around and glares at them both. Everyone proceeds forward. Silence hangs in the air for a while until the sound of an engine cuts through it. An army car rounds the corner and stops just in front of them. DERYN and NEWKIRK are violently pushed forward and into the back of the car_.

DERYN(_whispering to NEWKIRK_)

Looks like we're taking a car to Austria.

NEWKIRK

How courteous of them.

_This small joke earns NEWKIRK a half-hearted smile from DERYN. The car starts up its engine again and makes a U-turn. The soldiers argue in German, FADE OUT. _

* * *

**hi, thanks for reading, sorry about the non-regularity of the tenses. that is all. **


	16. Chapter 16

I added a little more to this chapter, so it's longer than the last time.

* * *

_FADE . MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, CAR. DERYN and NEWKIRK are sitting in a half dose as the car rumbles and bounces over the pot-hole ridden dirt road. The car if full of sleeping soldiers. The only wakeful one is keeping a watching stare on the two prisoners. DERYN's head slips off of where she had accidentally positioned it on NEWKIRK's shoulder. She wakes with a start and drowsily looks ta her pillow. She lazily reaches over and wipes the drool off of NEWKIRK's jacket. This movement woke NEWKIRK. _

NEWKIRK (_blinking the sleep out of his eyes_)

Where are we?

DERYN (_still wiping moisture off of NEWKIRK_)

Still driving.

NEWKIRK_ notices that DERYN has her hand on his shoulder. _

NEWKIRK (_pointedly looking at DERYN's hand placement_)

Uh.

DERYN (_rubs her slobbery hand on the top of her pants_)

Oh, sorry, I used you as a pillow.

NEWKIRK

You seem to do that to a lot of people

DERYN (_small laugh_)

Not really… just Alek. And he really didn't seem to mind all

the much

_They both fall into an awkward silence as the car goes over a few more pot-holes. DERYN finds a small tear in the tarp wall of the car. She entertains herself for a while be looking at the darkened, passing scenery. _

DERYN

I think we're close to a small city. There are lights just over

that pass.

NEWKIRK

Shove over and let me see.

_DERYN scoots over on the seat and NEWKIRK peeks though the hole. The car slows down to a complete stop. The soldier that captured DERYN and NEWKIRK gets out on the back of the truck after a while and a conversation in rushed German ensues outside. _

DERYN

There seems to be a road blockage up ahead.

NEWKIRK (_whispering almost inaudible_)

Do you think we could make a run for it and make it to the

town?

DERYN

I think it's worth a shot.

NEWKIRK

On three?

_DERYN braces her feet, preparing to spring up_. _NEWKIRK does the same._

DERYN

One.

_She spies one of the sleeping guard's exposed pistol._

DERYN

Two.

_She reaches out and quickly removes the gun form the man's hand. He stirs and she delivers a quick bowl to the side of his head with the butt of the gun, sending him back into unconsciousness._

DREYN

Three.

_They both hurl themselves at the back tarp wall/door and tumble out onto the dirt road. The two men who were having the conversation run back to see what is going on, only to be greeted by the sight of two figures running towards the direction of the town__**.**_** ( A/N: ha. funny mental image)**

CUT TO MOUNTAIN ROAD_. Snow is falling and ALEK is walking along the path stopping ever so often to wait for the young dragon, which is playfully romping in the freshly fallen snow, chasing after falling flakes. It has gotten considerably bigger overnight and now reaches up to the height of ALEK's mid-thigh on all fours. The dragon hasn't noticed that ALEK stopped, and runs into him with a supervised roar, knocking them both over. The dragon digs his nose into ALEK's back, searching for food that wasn't there. When it doesn't find anything, it begins to chew on the hood of ALEK's coat. With much struggling, ALEK manages to push the dragon off of him and stand up. _

ALEK

We would be able to move faster if you would stop playing

_The dragon, logically, doesn't understand what ALEK says and just romps off down the road again. It doesn't notice the road ending and falling away down into the ravine, and tumbles off the edge with a startled yelp. ALEK, knowing the ravine wasn't very deep, runs to the edge to see if the dragon is unharmed. He starts when he finds the dragon staring back at him when he looks over. The dragon sloppily flaps its wings and lands back on the snow covered road. _

ALEK(_laughs_)

Doctor Barlow did say you could fly

_The dragon twists its neck to look at its back with curiosity, experimentally flapping the wings. It turned around, took a running start, flapping its wings, and lifted its front legs off the ground before it fell back into a snow drift and skids for a bit. ALEK runs to catch up with it. It squawks at him and leaps out of the pile of snow it had embedded itself in. A chorus of voices sound from up ahead. ALEK stops moving and listens. The exact words are unclear, but whoever it is, is speaking German, and getting closer. ALEK quickly grabs the dragon and dives off the path, realizing too late that he has left foot prints behind. Soldiers round the path and stop talking. They follow the trail of dislodged snow to the edge of the road to see ALEK with the dragon shoved down his jacket front climbing up the mountain face. _

_FADE OUT_.


	17. Chapter 17

**sorry it took me so long to update... i kind of wrote myself into a wall. also, happy belated birthday to AnonymousAnnie! thank you so much for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

_FADE IN. EXT. SUNRISE. DERYN and NEWKIRK are heading down the slopping hill towards the village. NEWKIRK is visibly exhausted and occasionally stumbles, causing DERYN to stop and wait for him to catch up. There reach a sign with directions and NEWKIRK sits down, not even bothering with the snow._

DERYN (_squinting at the sign_)

I don't suppose you can read Italian?

NEWKIRK

No. Alek does.

_DERYN looks sadly back at the sign and NEWKIRK realizes what he said._

NEWKIRK (_awkwardly mumbles_)

Sorry, I forgot.

DERYN(_quickly changing the subject_)

Maybe the beastie can help us

_She reaches around to her pack where BOVRIL was. _

DERYN(_looking at NEWKIRK in shock_)

Bovril's not here.

NEWKIRK

What? I thought you had it when we escaped!

DERYN

I did too! (_she turns and runs back the way they came_)

NEWKIRK (_hurriedly scrambling up_)

Sharp wait! Where are you going?

DERYN

We have to go back and find it.

NEWKIRK (_reaching out and grabbing DERYN's arm_)

You're being daft. If we lost the creature along the way,

There is a good chance that the Germans found it. There

Also is a very good likelihood that they think it might be

important to us, so they'll be waiting for us to come back

and retrieve it. We should just leave it and carry on.

DERYN (_shaking her arm free_)

That loris is the last thing I have from Alek. I'm not going

to leave it to the barking Germans.

_DERYN continues to run back up the snow covered hill._

NEWKIRK (_yelling angrily after her_)

So you're just going to up and run off?(_silence from the_

_ direction DERYN went_) Why does it seem to me that your

friendship with Alek is going too far Mr. Sharp?

_He is rewarded for this comment with a snowball sailing forth from the night and hitting him in the face. _

DERYN(_her voice rising a few octaves as she yells back_)

You won't last a day without me out here! So sit back and

enjoy that frostbite your sorry bum is going to endure!

_NEWKIRK wipes the snow off his shoulders and grudgingly follows DERYN back to where they started. _

_CUT TO road with the soldiers. ALEK had climbed up the side of the mountain and was now looking over at the German soldiers, two of whom are still standing around their car for some reason, smoking. He quickly duck back down. _

GERMAN SOLIER #3 (_mumbles unhappily_)

Wie lange dauert es, zwei Jungs zu finden?

**_How long does it take to find two boys?_**

_His companion shrugs taking a drag from his cigarette._

_ CUT TO DERYN and NEWKIRK sneaking back up the mountain slope._

NEWKIRK

Do you think the beastie is even going to be there anymore?

DERYN

If he's not there, we'll just have to follow them.

NEWKIRK

You're on the route to a suicide mission-mmph!

_He is cut off mid-sentence when DERYN hurls herself at him and firmly clamps her hand over his mouth. _

DERYN(_hissing whisper_)

Shh! Soldiers!

_They lie in the snow for a few moments .the sound of feet crunching in snow passes, and after a while, DERYN risks sitting up to look. The coast seems clear, so she removes her hand from NEWKIRK's mouth. He too, sits up. With and exchange of glances they both stand up. _

NEWKIRK(_nervous laugh_)

That was too close for my liking.

DERYN

Aye.

NEWKIRK

Are we still getting the creature?

_DERYN nods, but all the confidence she had is now gone. She turns to say something else to NEWKIRK, probably something to reinforce her own composure, but before she can say anything, a man comes up from behind and strikes NEWKIRK over the head with it. NEWKIRK crumples to the ground and DERYN lets out a yell of warning that comes too late for NEWKIRK. Seeing that she will be attacked next, DERYN reaches for her gun, but another had come up from behind and grabs her_.

_CUT TO ALEK. The dragon is now squirming around in his shirt and ALEK has to remove it because it had started to rake its claws into_ _his chest._ _It squeaks and paws the ground nervously. The two soldiers standing by the truck look up like the heard something, and for a second ALEK think he's been found out, but they're looking in a different direction. Two more soldiers burst from a crevasse one dragging the unconscious form of NEWKIRK. DERYN, with a sack over her head, is brought forth next, struggling in the grasp if the German soldier. ALEK is barely able keep himself from jumping up and trying to rescue them. The other men rush up to them and one of them helps restrain DERYN. The soldier's had gets too close to DERYN's mouth, and she takes that opportunity to bite him through the bag. Despite the situation, ALEK smiles as the soldier jumps back with a yelp. The German takes his revenge by coming back with a fierce blow to DERYN's head. Her body goes limp and ALEK bites back a cry. DERYN and NEWKIRK are thrown into the truck, and the soldiers get in after them. It drives and ALEK slips from his hiding place. FADE OUT. _


	18. Chapter 18

i made corrections on previous chapters. that is all there is to this update thing. yep. there probably was a easier way to do it, but i have no idea how to do it. the next chapter will come out on july 5th.

* * *

_FADE IN. NOON. INT. DERYN is lying crumpled on her side with the sack still over her head with her hands tied behind her back and her feet bound. NEWKIRK, tied in the same fashion, is beginning to stir and he suddenly jerks out with his legs and kicks DERYN in the back. She jumps, just proving that she had been awake for quite some time, and lets out a muffled yelp._

NEWKIRK

Sharp? Sharp, are you awake?!

DERYN(_her voice cracks_)

Aye.

NEWKIRK(_groans and rubs his head_)

Where are we? What happened?

DERYN

In the back of the German's truck, you ninny. We got re-captured.

NEWKIRK

Are you alright, your voice sounds odd.

_DERYN clears her throat and falls silent._

NEWKIRK(_after a while_)

Did you find the beast?

DERYN(_making a point to keep her voice deep_)

No…. (_she pauses_.) I guess you were right. It was a bad decision

to come back. Now we're just in as much of a pear-shaped mess

as we were before. Bovril's probably frozen to death out there by

now anyway. And I'm sorry.

_NEWKIRK turns around the best he can, to see that DERYN's shoulders are shaking in a silent cry. He awkwardly scoots closer to DERYN _

NEWKIRK (_more to himself than to DERYN_)

It'll be okay, we'll get out of this.

_CUT TO ALEK. He is following to tire tracks down the snow covered mountain road. The dragon is walking patiently beside him_

ALEK (_thinking out loud_)

I wonder why they don't have a walker.

_The dragon looks quizzically at him. _

ALEK

I mean, they are Clankers after all. And yet they drive a regular

military truck… (_He falls into a thoughtful silence_)

You should have a name, I think. Deryn wouldn't approve,

But I feel weird not having anything to call you. Just temporary,

you know, until we can get you delivered to the troops. ….

I rather like Draco. (_the dragon looks quizzically at him again_)

It means dragon in Latin.

_DRACO, looking satisfied with this, turns its head forward again. Then it stops and looks hard a certain part of the snow. ALEK glances were DRACO is looking and notices the snow moving. He runs up to it and digs out a very cold, very ticked off BOVRIL._

BOVRIL

Alek. Alive.

ALEK

Yes Bov. I'm alive. Why would I not be?

_BOVRIL crawls his way up ALEK's arm and slides into the front of his coat, and murmurs nonsensical whispers into ALEK's chest. ALEK chuckles at that and gets up from his couch. He catches small words of what BOVRIL is saying from the nonsense. _

BOVRIL

Avalanche. Deryn Sharp… thinks you're dead

ALEK(_shocked at this discovery, after a moment of stunned silence )_

Well then. We'll have to show her I'm not dead just yet.

(_he smiles when BOVRIL pokes his head out of his jacket front_)

Do you know where we can acquire a walker?

_BOVRIL giggles _

_CUT TO sunset ALEK sneaks into a seemingly empty Clanker camp. He spies an empty walker standing next to what seems to be the superior officer's tent. There is a German flag flying at the top. BOVRIL pokes his head out of ALEK'S jacket. ALEK pauses to listen for any sound that might indicate that there are soldiers nearby. Silence. He keeps moving._

ALEK(_whispering_)

Where do you suppose the soldiers are?

BOVRIL

Not here.

_ALEK gives BOVRIL a look and BOVRIL responds with a snicker. ALEK takes a closer look at the walker that he is about to steal. _

ALEK

Well, it's simpler that the one's in Istanbul. Still I'm a bit rusty.

I wonder if they have some sort of security system. (_He looks at_

_ BOVRIL expectantly. The loris shows no signs of noticing any kind_

_ danger_) or the just leave their war machinery unattended so

ex-princes can steal it.

_ALEK climbs up the leg of the kneeling walker and opens the hatch. He clumsily clambers inside and then whistles for DRACO, who has been waiting in the trees. The dragon romps out of the cover of the forest, trips on a tent string and brings the tent down on top of it. The contents of this tent, which happened to be the cooking area, clattered as they fell. As it turned out, the camp wasn't as empty as ALEK hoped it would be. The noise woke a sleeping sentry, who came fairly quickly to see what had caused the ruckus. But by the time the soldier made it to the mangled heap of what used to be the kitchen, ALEK,BOVRIL and the very clumsy DRACO were long gone in there stolen walker. FADE OUT._

* * *

i tried to get all the typos... but knowing me, i probably missed a lot of them. thanks for reading anyway.


	19. Chapter 19

yes i do realize that that was an extremely long hiatus and i have made it up to you with a very long chapter.

* * *

_FADE IN. INT. TWO DAYS LATER, DUSK. DERYN is woken up to shouts in German. The back of the truck flies open and DERYN and NEWKIRK are startled into a standing position, and then herded out and into the cold winter snow and dragged until they stumble into the pace the soldiers are going. Looking around DERYN notices that_ _they are in a small town._

NEWKIRK

Where are we?

DERYN

I'm not sure.

_A woman in the door of one of small houses steps outside to watch them pass. A little boy about the age of five peeks out from behind her skirts. She catches DERYN looking at her and glares at her before ushering her son back inside _

DERYN

I don't think we're in Italy anymore though.

NEWKIRK

How can you tell?

DERYN

The citizens don't appear to be frightened of the German soldiers.

They seem more pleased that they have two Italian men tied up.

NEWKIRK

That would make sense.

DERYN

I felt I should make up for being a dummkopf.

NEWKIRK

Why are we here exactly?

DERYN (_laughs, causing NEWKIRK to look at her weird_)

Barking spiders, Newkirk! Why do you think! They're going to kill us!

We're prisoners of war. We have no rank, so we have no value to them.

_NEWKIRK falls silent. DERYN swallows her laugh and becomes scarily quiet. They continue to move onward. Suddenly NEWKIRK stumbles into DERYN._

NEWKIRK (_whispering harshly into DERYN's ear_)

Sharp, I don't want to die, I'm fairly sure you don't want to either. we

need another plan to escape.

DERYN

Well, we could always just run for it like the last time.

_A German officer walks up behind them. NEWKIRK notices before DERYN does and frantically tries to stop her from talking_.

OFFICER (_in impeccable English_)

I wouldn't advise trying to escape again.

_NEWKRIK and DERYN exchange terrified glances and the officer pulls out his pistol_

_CUT TO MORNING. Inside the walker. The small compartment lurches with every step ALEK takes_

ALEK (_as DRACO slides across the floor with a cry_)

Sorry! I'm out of practice!

BOVRIL (_clinging to ALEK's shoulder_)

Make it stop.

_ALEK has a feeling that BOVRIL isn't complaining about the jarring steps he is taking. He slows down for the dragon's sake, and then notices something lying in the middle of the road, half buried in the snow. He pulls the walker to a complete stop and leans forward to see what it is. The form before him stirs and ALEK realizes that it's NEWKIRK_

ALEK

God's wounds!

_ALEK tears from out the walker's hatch and runs to NEWKIRK's side. He notices that both of NEWKIRK's legs are wet with blood. Supporting his head on his lap, he gently tries to rouse him._

ALEK

Come on, come on, wake up!

_NEWKIRK stirs. His eyes flutter open. It takes him a while, but he finally focuses on ALEK's face_

NEWKIRK

Alek… am I dead?

ALEK (_laughing with relief_)

Not just yet Mr. Newkirk. Come on, let's get you out of the snow.

_He supports NEWKIRK as they try to stand. NEWKIRK falls back with a cry of pain when he sets weight on his legs. ALEK lets out a frustrated sigh. _

NEWKIRK

This might be a bit trickier than you though, eh? (_realization_)

Wait, if I'm not dead, then that means you're not either!

ALEK (_as sarcastic as ALEK can get_)

Yes then that does mean I'm alive. It's nice to know all of my friends

think I died.

NEWKIRK

Sharp's really broken up about it….. Oh- no.

ALEK

What do you mean oh no? What happened to you two? Is Deryn alright?

_NEWKIRK experimentally pokes the bleeding hole in his right leg, and then winces. _

NEWKIRK

Deryn, who's that?

BOVRIL (_chuckling_)

_Mr_. Sharp!

ALEK

Dylan! I meant Dylan! Is Dylan alright?

NEWKIRK (_pausing awkwardly_)

Uhh- I don't know what happened to him. We were planning to escape

but an officer understood us and that's about all I remember. I think they

left me for dead with both my legs shot, as you can see.

_ALEK visibly tries to stay calm. DRACO, who was waiting in the walker, sticks his head out of the hatch and then lowers itself out and onto the ground. It happily trots out to meet them, much to the visible discomfort of NEWKIRK. _

ALEK

How do you feel being dragged back to the walker?

NEWKIRK

I wouldn't be too pleased with that.

ALEK

It's the only thing I can think of on how to get you inside the walker,

and I'm sure that Draco won't be too vicious.

NEWKIRK (_panicking_)

Whoa, whoa! I thought you meant you would drag me! I don't want

that creature and its poison anywhere near me!

ALEK (_laughing_)

We'll need the dragon to hoist you inside, after I drag you over there.

_ALEK loops his arms under NEWKIRK's armpits and tries, as gently as humanly possible, to move NEWKIRK back towards the walker. When they get there, DRACO climbs up the ladder, reaches down with his long neck and wraps his mouth around the hood and back of NEWKIRK's jacket, lifting him up into the walker. _

ALEK (_climbing into the walker after them_)

Alright, let's see the damage with your legs.

NEWKIRK winces.

NEWKIRK

I bet I have to remove my trousers.

ALEK

Either that or I can cut them off you. (_laughs_) I'm actually stating to like

playing nurse on you and Deryn.

_He helps remove NEWKIRK's trousers and gets a closer look at the bullet holes in NEWKIRK's legs. _

ALEK (_while wrapping strips of cloth around NEWKIRK's legs_)

I afraid all I can do at the moment is bandage them to stop the bleeding.

We'll have to get you to a doctor as soon as we reach the next town.

Where were they heading when you were last with Dylan?

NEWKIRK

North, back to Austria, I think.

ALEK

I'm sure we can catch up with them if we run.

BOVRIL

If you don't kill us.

_ALEK gives it a hard look and puts the walker into full speed. _

_CUT TO. EARLY MORNING SAME DAY. The soldiers have stopped and made a camp. DERYN is sitting far away from the campfire with a guard pointing a gun at her and tied to a tree. Behind the tree, DERYN is sawing away at the ropes with a small knife that was consoled in a hidden pocket in her sleeve. The English speaking officer walks up and dismisses the guard in quick German. DERYN stops sawing. He crouches next to DERYN. She looks away, avoiding meeting his eyes. _

OFFICER

Poor, poor boy. You've lost everything. Both you're friends, Even that

abomination pet of yours. What else is there for you to live for?

DERYN (_spitting in the officer's face_)

I don't know, maybe revenge?

_The man laughs and wipes the moisture off his cheek. _

OFFICER _(suddenly serious_)

You should show me some respect _boy._ I seem to have the upper hand

here.

_He rises and turns quickly to leave. _

DERYN (_shouting as the officer walks away_)

The only thing you have here is stupidity! This whole outfit is to keep

one boy without a gun tied up in the back of a truck to take me, where

exactly? Why don't you just kill me!

_DERYN goes back to sawing at the ropes. They fall loosely around her wrists, and she springs up, taking the guard watching her by surprise. Launching herself and the man, she snatches the gun out of his hands, shoots the soldier and takes off into the forest surrounding the camp. _

_CUT TO DERYN running. Faint shouts echo behind her, and she risks a look over her shoulder. Her feet betray her in that moment and she stumbles. She hits the ground and lies there, winded and a bit dazed for a while, then gets up again and continues running, but with a limp this time. The shouting from the soldiers is closer, and DERYN is getting more and more worn out. Finally she just turns and sits down to wait for her pursuers to catch up. DERYN checks the gun she stole. There are eight shots left._

DERYN

That's eight men down then.

_She cocks the gun as the first man comes into sight. He doesn't see DERYN until it's too late. She fires the gun and he falls, tripping the man behind him. The soldier who wasn't shot looked down in shock at his fallen comrade. The hurt in his eyes made DERYN freeze in the realization that she had just killed two people. This time the man who comes into sight is the officer. DERYN un-freezes just in time to dodge the shot he fires. She lands in the snow with a grunt, and then scrambles up to face her enemy. They face each other both pointing their guns._

DERYN

Are you going to shoot me, sir, or are you giving me the option

of killing you first?

_The officer sneers, and would have shot her except for the giant metal machine that exploded from the trees behind him. The man drops his weapon and tries to run for it but gets trampled in the process._

DERYN (_very confused_)

Barking spiders.

_The walker comes to a halt and the top hatch opens to reveal NEWKIRK. _

NEWKIRK

Hello Sharp!

DERYN (_relieved smile, but still very confused_)

Blisters Newkirk! You're alive! I didn't know you could command a walker!

NEWKIRK

I didn't. You're never gonna believe this but-

_The bottom hatch opens and ALEK jumps out. _

NEWKRIK

Alek's alive!

_DERYN stands dumbfounded, staring at ALEK _

ALEK

Hello-

_That's as far as he gets before DERYN tackled him with a massive hug and they both toppled backwards onto the snow. She kisses him hard _

DERYN (_crying_)

Don't you ever do that to me again you bum-rag.

ALEK

You had me worried for a minute there, I thought you were

going to let him kill you.

_DERYN laughs and buries her face in his shoulder. NEWKIRK clears his throat. _

NEWKIRK (_quite red in the face_)

Are you done yet?

ALEK sputters and realizes that NEWKIRK saw the kissing going on between him and DERYN, but she only shrugs

DERYN

I see no way out of this situation, Alek. (_then to NEWKIRK_)

It's not what it looks like, you see, I'm a girl.

_NEWKIRK, in return, stares at her in shock._

ALEK

Well, that was sudden. Why did he get the more direct approach?

DERYN

I'm not in love with him, dafty.

_NEWKIRK's jar moves up and down like he's saying something, but nothing is coming out. DERYN helps ALEK up._

ALEK

I think he's taking it quite well, don't you?

DERYN (_smirking_)

Better than you did.

_CUT TO. Inside the walker. DERYN and ALEK help NEWKIRK down from his perch on the lookout's rig. NEWKIRK is blatantly avoiding looking at DERYN, but he is having trouble looking at ALEK also. _

DERYN(_seeing that NEWKIRK isn't going to respond, she says to ALEK_)

Why is he up here anyway?

ALEK

He insisted.

DERYN

What did you do for his legs?

ALEK

I couldn't remove the bullets, so I just bandaged them to stop

the bleeding.

_DERYN nods and ALEK gets up to pilot the walker again. Once ALEK leaves, NEWKIRK shuffles backwards as fast as he can by dragging himself with his hands. _

DERYN

Careful there, Newkirk. Too much movement will reopen your wounds.

_NEWKIRK grunts as he hits the wall of the walker. _

NEWKIRK (_still not meeting DERYN's eyes_)

How long have you been putting up this act?

DERYN (_laughing_)

How long do you think, ninny! I was born a girl, and I wanted to get

into the service, so I dressed up as a boy. It's as simple as that.

ALEK

It's not as simple as you make it out to be, Deryn. You had to fool every

Officer on the British air service. We're nearing a town soon, about fifteen

minutes away is my guess.

DERYN (_getting up to join ALEK in the front_)

Really? We were that close to civilization? I could have run that distance

no problem! Good thing for Newkirk though. I think he'll drive himself

mad pretty soon.

ALEK (_for only DERYN to hear_)

Poor him. You led him on far longer than anyone else. I mean, you were

friends with him even before you met me, so I guess he is entitled to be

a little upset.

DERYN

Aye, I suppose so. I'll apologize later when he's wrapped his head around it.

_The small Austrian town slowly appears on the horizon. DERYN looks over her shoulder to tell NEWKIRK that they're almost there, to see him slumped over, looking pale. He is sitting in a pool of blood, the soaked bandages have proved to be useless is stopping the bleeding. _

DERYN (_jumping down to his side_)

Blisters! Alek, he's let himself bleed out! (Muttering to the half-conscious NEWKIRK)

Why didn't you tell us your wounds reopened!?

ALEK puts the walker into a full out run.

ALEK (_controlled panic_)

Tie the bandages tight about the wounds! Try to stop the bleeding!

DERYN

Aye! I'm doing that! Damn it Newkirk!

_NEWKIRK groans and meets DERYN's eyes unsteadily before passing out. FADE OUT. _

* * *

why did i wait for July 5th you ask? well my lovelies, i shall tell you. today marks the one year anniversary of when i started writing A Mission With Dragons. there is a funny story about that day last year also. this is a personal recount of events that took place, so if you would rather not read about my life, you have been warned. I was riding my bike and then my foot slipped off the pedals and totally wrecked my whole bike. both wheels wouldn't move. well i was a mess, and when my mom had to come pick my up from my karate dojo because i couldn't do anything in my present state, all i wanted to do when i got home was write this fic. then later that night i had a dream that Dr. Barlow and Alek were my friends and they were bringing me pain pills. i woke up and it took my delirious, pain-filled mind a half an hour to figure out that Alek and Dr. Barlow aren't real. i was really saddened by this. a while after that i realized that id Dr. Barlow and Alek were my friends, that made me Deryn.


End file.
